FIGS. 1A-1B depicts an air-bearing surface (ABS) and plan views of a conventional read transducer used in magnetic recording technology applications. The conventional read transducer 10 includes shields 12 and 18, insulator 14, hard bias structures 16, and sensor 20. The read sensor 20 is typically a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor or tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor.
The read sensor 20 includes an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer 22, a pinned layer 24, a nonmagnetic spacer layer 26, and a free layer 28. Also shown is a capping layer 30. In addition, seed layer(s) may be used. The free layer 28 has a magnetization sensitive to an external magnetic field. Thus, the free layer 28 functions as a sensor layer for the magnetoresistive sensor 20. If the sensor 20 is to be used in a current perpendicular to plane (CPP) configuration, then current is driven in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the layers 22, 24, 26, and 28. Conversely, in a current parallel to plane (CIP) configuration, then conductive leads (not shown) would be provided on the hard bias structures 16. The hard bias structures 16 are used to magnetically bias the free layer 28. The read sensor 20 has a track width, w, at the ABS. Further, as can be seen in FIG. 1B, the track width does not vary in the stripe height direction. In other words, the read sensor 20 has sidewalls that are substantially perpendicular to the ABS.
In operation, the conventional read sensor 20 responds to the field of a bit (not shown) on a media written by a write transducer (not shown). More specifically, the free layer 28 magnetic moment has a direction that is based on the field from the media. Based on the orientations of the magnetic moment of the free layer 28, the magnetoresistance of the conventional read sensor 20 changes. Thus, the magnetic transducer 10 may be used to read data written to a media by a write transducer.
Although the conventional transducer 10 functions, there are drawbacks. As magnetic recording technology has progressed, changes are made to the design of the heads incorporating the conventional read transducer 10 and sensor 20. For example, the magnetic write track width of a write transducer (not shown) has shrunk and may vary between devices. The conventional read transducer 10 may then need to be updated to account for such changes. Without such changes, the conventional read transducer 10 may not perform as desired.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for improving the performance of a magnetic recording read transducer.